Real Madrid Thrash Pachuca Despite Playing with Ten Men
Real Madrid faced Pachuca with warning bells ringing. Their draw against Al Hilal sparked doubts and worried fans. The team needed a strong performance to cool the heat and restore calm. They delivered against all the odds they faced. Xabi Alonso’s squad pulled off a solid win, even playing with ten men for most of the match. This victory didn’t just grab three points; it lifted the locker room and got their Club World Cup campaign back on track.
The game started terribly for Real Madrid. Just seven minutes in, Raul Asencio got sent off for misjudging a challenge on Salomon Rondón, who cleverly won the call, leaving the whites shorthanded. Criticism poured in, and the Al Hilal draw loomed large. The team fought back with grit. Aurélien Tchouaméni filled in at center-back, and the squad stayed bold, refusing to shrink. Their courage paid off. Jude Bellingham struck first, then Arda Güler made it 2-0 before halftime, flipping the game’s mood with a huge boost.
Pachuca pushed hard in the second half, trying to use their extra man, but Real Madrid held firm. The whites controlled the ball, with Luka Modric and Dani Ceballos coming on to steady things in tough moments. Fede Valverde’s goal, set up by a slick Brahim Díaz pass, seemed to seal the deal. Pachuca kept fighting, though, and Elias Montiel’s shot, deflected by Tchouaméni, beat Thibaut Courtois to pull one back. Despite a late Mexican surge, Real Madrid locked it down and secured a vital win.
This result hands Real Madrid three key points, edging them closer to the Round of 16, and shakes off the doubts from their shaky and horrible start. Xabi Alonso’s touch is showing little by little. He started Güler and adjusted well after Asencio’s red card. Even a man down, the team showed heart and skill to win a game that could’ve slipped away. Courtois, as usual, was clutch, and his teammates’ response proves this squad still has plenty to say in the tournament.
The match ended with a small fight between Antonio Rüdiger and Gustavo Cabral, proving the game stayed heated until the final whistle. Real Madrid can now look ahead with more ease. Pressure remains, but this solid step against Pachuca has restored some lost faith. The tournament is long, but for now, the whites can breathe. The big question remains: Will this win kickstart Real Madrid’s quest to rule the Club World Cup again?
